Throughout history, mankind has engaged in various forms of amusement which has taken innumerable forms over the years. Games of chance have been introduced which provide enjoyment to the players while not requiring skillful decisions to be made. Games of chance can thus be very relaxing because they require very little activity to play and win or lose. If one plays a game of chance for a long period of time, one will eventually witness rare occurrences, such as “streaks” which provide a great sense of excitement to the players. Also, such games of chance are as easily won by novice players as they are by more experienced players. Such games are very approachable for novices. An example of a game of chance is a slot machine.
Games of skill have also been introduced, which require skillful play for optimal performance. Players of these games use knowledge, experience, and in some cases, great effort to achieve superior performance. Games of skill often attract people who wish to be challenged to attain greater levels of skill. Some people dedicate their lives to such games. Thus games of skill are often very engaging in the long term. An example of a game of skill is chess.
Still other games require elements of skill, but also have an element of chance. These games offer the best of both worlds because they are very approachable for beginners due to the chance element, and are very engaging in the long term due to the skill element. An example of a game with both the element of chance and the element of skill is video poker.
A diverse range of players will play these games. Because of this diverse appeal, a group of people with disparate skill levels with be able to play such games together. Games are often considered more fun when played in groups. Also, the individuals can reinforce each other's participation.